We are part of Third Front, says JD-S despite tiff with CPI-M

New Delhi, May 8 (IANS) The Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) Friday said it continues to remain a strong ally of the Third Front grouping and denied any trouble in its ties with the Communist Party of India-Marxist (Marxist) despite their fractured relations in Kerala. “We are part of the Third Front. Our relations with the CPI-M are unique and stable,” said JD-S spokesperson Danish Ali.

In Kerala, the JD-S is a divided house with a section of the party, led by state president and former union minister M.P. Veerendrakumar, openly working against the CPI-M during the Lok Sabha polls. Veerendrakumar, sitting Lok Sabha MP from Kozhikode, was upset over the CPI-M decision to take away the constituency during seat sharing.

danish Ali said the Left parties and the Third Front would fare “excellently” in the polls.

“We and our allies will get an excellent victory in the elections,” Ali told IANS.

He said the Third Front partners would sit together after the polls and give the grouping a structured form first.

“The Third Front will decide its prime ministerial candidate after the polls,” he said.

The JD-S also criticised Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi for his overtures to the Left parties and other Third Front constituents.

“The Congress general secretary has failed to stop the crossing over of its existing allies from its camp. Many of them are not with the UPA (United Progressive Alliance),” Ali said.

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) also described Rahul Gandhi’s statement as “immature.”

“It was an immature statement,” said a senior TDP leader when asked about Rahul Gandhi’s praise for party boss Chandrababu Naidu.